Eddie Aikau big surf contest called off

Greg Long of San Clemente charged back from a mediocre first half of the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest. He received a perfect 100-points for this ride, which catapulted him to first place. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Even with an extra day for the contest because of leap year, the contest could not go off during its three month "holding period."

Though there was big surf over the winter, including some of the largest waves ever in early December for the nearby Pipeline Masters, the swells never consistently reached the 20-foot-plus surf at Waimea Bay required for the contest.

The 2012-2012 contest will open on Dec. 1 and run through Feb. 28. The event is a "speciality" event for the Association of Surfing Professionals, with $98,000 in prize money.

No contest is actually the most common outcome. The contest was last held in December of 2009, when San Clemente's Greg Long charged to a come-from-behind victory over surfing icon Kelly Slater. In the 27 years of the contest, it's been held only eight times.

Aikau was a top big wave surfer and lifeguard who disappeared at sea in 1978 when he tried to paddle a surfboard from a broken Polynesian sailing canoe, Hokule'a, that had become disabled off Molokai. The others on the canoe were rescued but Aikau was never seen.

Greg Long of San Clemente charged back from a mediocre first half of the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest. He received a perfect 100-points for this ride, which catapulted him to first place. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Surfer Kelly Slaters pumps his fist after emerging from an avalanche of whitewater during the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest on the North Shore at Waimea Bay, Hawaii. Forecasters called the storm creating the waves "The Day of the Decade." Slater scored a 98 out of a possible 100 points on this wave. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTERT; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Monster waves bring nasty wipeouts. Here, Shane Dorian falls hard at "the Eddie" during 2009. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
It may be winter on the calendar, but its summer-like at the Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest in 2009. The premier surf event on the islands attracts such huge crowds that police routinely shut down access to Waimea Bay. If you want to catch the event, get there early. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Surfer Kelly Slaters scored a 98 out of 100 points on this wave in the second heat at the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest on the North Shore at Waimea Bay, Hawaii Tuesday. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sunny Garcia, left and Greg Long, right, both try to catch a wave at the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest at Waimea Bay, Hawaii. Long won the contest and Garcia finished third. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Knowing that getting to Waimea Bay after "the Eddie" has been called on can be a nightmare, some 2009 spectators chose to drive up to the North Shore and camp out overnight at one of the better vantage points to see the action. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Sunny Garcia, the great Hawaiian surfer who lived for awhile in Orange County, finished third in the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave contest on the North Shore at Waimea Bay. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Kelly Slater has a big grin as he watches Greg Long enjoying the monster-sized prop paycheck after Long came from behind to win the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest on the North Shore at Waimea Bay, Hawaii. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Greg Long of San Clemente, winner of the 2009 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest at Waimea Bay celebrates with friend and fellow pro surfer Bruce Irons. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Crowds on Kamehameha Highway where it loops around Waimea Bay watch as breakers crash against the shore during the 2009 Eddie Aikau big wave surf contest. KENT NISHIMURA, GETTY IMAGES; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Winner Bruce Irons surfs his 100-point, perfect score wave during the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational on the North Shore of Hawaii Tuesday December 15, 2004. KEVIN SULLIVAN, OCR; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Surfers try out Waimea Bay before the 2009 contest closed the water to all but the top pros. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GOULDING; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
The curling lip of Waimea Bay when it is big is the second most famous water image in Hawaii after the famous tube at nearby Banzai Pipeline PHOTO BY MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; ; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Kelly Slater, center and Bruce Irons, right, take off on the same big wave during the 2004 Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau surf contest at Waimea Bay. Irons would go on to win the contest. Slater won in 2002. KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Swells that have raced across the North Pacific slam into the bowl at Waimea Bay, creating one of the biggest and most dangerous surfable waves in the world. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER; TEXT BY GARY A. WARNER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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